September 11, 2010

This post is intended to address the revisionist tendencies of the liberal side. Bring up the point that children in 7th grade were only 3 years old on 9/11, and likewise, my own son, Caleb (age 7) wasn't even born. So, what do I tell him? What should we tell them? (The point is, don't let our politics get in the way of the truth.)

Tie this into Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, connect it with Todd Beamer and the rest of the brave Americans on Flight 93. Kind of "a historical lens into Shanksburg, PA". (This is what Rush Limbaugh did last year.)

February 26, 2010

(First of all, friends, sorry for the lengthy delay. I've been under the gun with some speaking engagements and writing deadlines, on top of everything else... Thanks for your patience.)

We've all heard and seen the power of technology--especially the internet, but it's not always easy to measure. Certainly, the expert utilization of internet potential helped rocket Team Obama to the White House (and this potential for political power was first demonstrated by the short-lived presidential aspirations of Howard Dean in 2004). But it's not always easy to fully appreciate the power of the internet until your the one who downloaded the 10 billionth (with a "B") song on iTunes.

That's what happened to Louie Sulcer, of Woodstock GA, this week when he downloaded Johnny Cash's hit song, "Guess That's the Way Things Happen". Not only did Louie get that unlikely distinction, but he also got a personal call from Steve Jobs, as well as, the $10,000 prize money for the "iTunes 10 Billionth Song" contest. He said he couldn't believe that it was actually the Apple CEO on the phone, but they ended up talking for a while.

The internet, as with any powerful tool, has the power to influence positively or negatively. And it is reshaping the world at lightning speed. The Church is beginning to recognize the potential of using this medium for influencing the world with the Gospel. But there is much untapped potential. For the internet brings your neighbor right to your front door, no matter where they live.

Just ask Louie Sulcer. Who da' thought he'd be talking on the phone with Steve Jobs? :) And to think that Mr. Sulcer is 71 years old. Who says new technology is for those young whippersnappers?

February 17, 2010

In talking with one of our TDD readers last night about the fallout from Evan Bayh's surprise retirement announcement, I mentioned the candidacy of Tamyra d'Ippolito. Tamyra who? A political newcomer who owns a cafe in Bloomington. An article in yesterday's Indianapolis Star pointed out that she had hoped to challenge Bayh in the Democratic primary, but was having difficulty securing the 4,500 signatures necessary (500 from each of the 9 congressional districts here in Indiana) to be put on the ballot. She needed about 1,000 additional signatures by noon yesterday to get on the ballot.

Ms. d'Ippolito expressed discouragement at not getting any support from the Democratic county chairmen, which unfortunately, is the nature of the political beast. Gone are the days of enthusiasm and a passion for public service as the requirements for participation in the political process. They have been replaced by power, expediency, and back-scratching, orchestrated by the gatekeepers of the political establishment.

As I shared with my friend last night, if the Republicans had been smarter, they would have rallied to Ms. d'Ippolito's cause and helped her get on the ballot. Because with an actual candidate on the ballot the Indiana Democrats would have been in an even bigger bind then they're in now. Instead of the small group of Democratic Party insiders determining who the candidate would be, they would be forced to contend with a candidate would most assuredly get beaten in November.

Either way, the Democratic establishment is reeling from the announcement of Bayh on Monday. For many people, he was the leader of the Party in Indiana and now they are battling the storms with a rudderless ship.

February 15, 2010

And now it is hitting the Hoosier state with today's totally unexpected retirement announcement from Sen. Evan Bayh. Just a year and a half ago, Sen. Bayh was on the very short list to be President Obama's vice presidential running mate, and now he's on his way out of politics.

The upcoming Senate race here in Indiana has become quite a roller-coaster in recent weeks, as the candidates began lining up to challenge Bayh, who as all but assured a relection to the seat that he has held since the late 90's. But then former Republican Sen. Dan Coats announced his decision to enter the race, and the political stakes shifted. (In fact, it was the retirement of Sen. Coats in 1998 that opened the door for Bayh to become the junior senator for Indiana and further his political aspirations.)

How quickly things change... The political landscape here in Indiana is symptomatic of what is happening all across the country. From the governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey to the huge upset in Massachussetts with the seat held by Ted Kennedy being passed to Republican newcomer Scott Brown, there are seismic shifts happening in the unlikeliest of places throughout the country. And while the Republicans are seeing encouraging signs of things to come, the Democratics are scrambling to figure out what went wrong.

For it was just over a year ago, that the new age of hope and change was being ushered in on the rhetoric and promise of the coming savior of the country. The presidency and both houses of Congress were firmly in Democrats' hands (with even a filibuster-proof Super Majority in the Senate). The era of possibility was only limited to one's imagination.

And now, this...

What are the reasons? Is it still because of the lingering effects of Bush? Is it because of the Tea Party movement? Is it because of Obama's less-than-stellar first year in office? Is it his aggressive attempt to grow the government and increase federal spending? Is it all of the above, and more?

The pundits will continue to speculate and analyze every nuance of the shifting sands, but the bottom line is, things are not looking good for Obama & Co.

And for those of us love to strap into the ongoing political roller-coaster, it's going to be a fun ride. :) You never know what's coming around the next bend. I mean, Bayh retiring, who saw that coming? (Not even his staff apparently.)

February 12, 2010

...and for Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher it's been in the air for a long, long time. At ages 104 and 102 respectively, Herbert and Zelmyra were married in May of 1924 and have enjoyed 86 years of wedded bliss.

In our current age of starter marriages and "irreconcilable differences" it's refreshing to see two people whose committed love for eachother has stood the test of time. Herbert and Zelmyra serve as a wonderful example to those of us who are navigating our way through marriage.

And to top it all off, the Fishers are tweeting. That's right, they have a Twitter account (@longestmarried) and are offering their time-tested advice to other couples over the Valentine's Day weekend. So, if you have a question, the love Drs. are in the house. :)

February 11, 2010

Marvel Comics has issued an apology for their derogatory depiction of the tea party crowd in recent Captain America issue #602 comic book. Since World War II, Captain America has been standing firmly against evils in the world. And now, it seems like the self-proclaimed Tea Party patriots are the target of his condemnation. To put the Tea Partiers in the same league as the Nazis (in the 40's), flag-burners (in the 60's) and now white supremacists (with whom the Tea Party protesters were associated). Should we be surprised? Hardly.

February 09, 2010

I got this email today as I was hunkered down with the kids on a snow day. You may have already seen it. If not, enjoy the laugh, and pass it on.

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Hoosiers…I think his wife is from around Bloomington.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you may live in Indiana.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don’t even work there, you may live in Indiana.

If you’ve worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Indiana.

If you’ve had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Indiana.

If “vacation” means going anywhere south of Muncie for the weekend, you may live in Indiana.If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Indiana.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Indiana.

If you have switched from ‘heat’ to ‘A/C’ in the same day and back again, you may live in Indiana.

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Indiana.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both doors unlocked, you may live in Indiana.

If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Indiana.

If you design your kid’s Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Indiana.

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph - you’re going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Indiana.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Indiana.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you may live in Indiana.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car,you may live in Indiana.

If you find 10 degrees “a little chilly”, you may live in Indiana.

If you actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all your Indiana friends & others, you definitely do live – or have lived – in Indiana.

Amen! I'm not sure if these actually came from Jeff Foxworthy or not, but some might say that Indiana does have a certain redneck ring to it. And those of us who live in Indiana can appreciate the humor...only because they're so true. :)

February 08, 2010

Yesterday, I posted on the much-talked-about Tim Tebow ad that was broadcast during last night's Super Bowl. The Washington Post has an article that amusingly reacts to the ad controversy...that wasn't. They link to the counter ad put together by Planned Parenthood. This ad, put out prior to the Super Bowl to try to preempt the deeply offensive Focus on the Family ad, shows former professional football player, Sean James, and Olympic gold-medalist, Al Joyner, talking about why joined Planned Parenthood in putting out the ad to counter the message of the Tebows. While they offer the obligatory comment about respecting Mrs. Tebow's decision, they want to protect every woman's right to choose.

Interestingly, Al Joyner states in the ad, "I want my daughter to live in a world where everyone's decisions are respected." This is ironic coming from Planned Parenthood, given the fact that their over-reaction to Pam Tebow's decision seems to promote anything but "a world where everyone's decisions are respected."

We saw this same irony in the vitriolic reaction by Planned Parenthood and other feminist organizations to Sarah Palin's decisions concerning her career and her choice to not terminate her disabled child, Trig. It seems to me that if we truly respected everyone's decisions, then these women and these ads like the Tebow ad would, at the very least, be non-issues. Or, at most, those women's groups who supposedly suggest that women's choices should be respected, would actually applaud the courageous decisions that such women make.

The truth is, we have come to place in our culture where the most strident advocates of tolerance have become increasingly intolerant of those opinions, perspectives, and choices that do not conform to their own. That is the nature of what I have described here often as "the tyranny of tolerance".

The other truth is that these women's groups have revealed their true colors where the choices of conservative women are concerned. They say they want to protect women's right to make decisions for their lives, but the truth is, they don't--if those women are making choices that they disagree with. This hypocrisy undermines the credibility of their pro-women message. And it is a hypocrisy that is obvious to everyone but those who have been blinded by it.

UPDATE: Politics Daily and the Daily Finance talk about the perfectly clever pump fake by Tebow & Co. Score one for the pro-life team in this round.

February 07, 2010

Football phenom Tim Tebow is going to be in the Super Bowl...in the broadcast at least. Perhaps you've heard about the growing controversy surrounding an upcoming commercial which alludes to the story of Tim, and more specifically, the decision his mother made to not abort him when she was young and pregnant. The sponsoring organization, Focus on the Family, has said they put the commercial together to let families and parents who are at wit's end know that there is help and hope.

I'm hearing more and more about this commercial by Tebow, so I finally decided to go and look at it on YouTube. Only, I couldn't find it. Why? Because it's not there.

That is what is especially puzzling and surprising about the mounting volume of criticism that is being thrown about by everybody from the National Organization of (some) Women to everyone's favorite pundits on The View. No one else has seen the commercial either. It's like writing review of a movie without actually having watched it.

All of the critics are up in arms for what they think the commercial is going to promote. And even if it does suggest a pro-life message, is there something wrong with that? I was under the impression that this is a free country with the ability to express perspectives that others might not always agree with. So much for being tolerant.

I guess we can watch the Super Bowl and actually see what all the hubbub is all about.

UPDATE: That's what the fuss was all about?!? Talk about anti-climactic... That is the inevitable problem with presumptive criticism. There is always the possibility of ending up with egg on the face. Of course, all of the critics would never go so far as to admit their missteps. I went over to Focus on the Family's website to watch "the rest of the story" about Tebow. That extended interview with Tim Tebow's parents certainly presents a strong pro-life message. But the Super Bowl commercial was nothing to write home about. And if we start suggesting that any of the TV networks not run commercials from message-driven organizations, where does it stop? There would be very little advertising left. Ironically, the critics did more to draw attention to this issue by vocalizing their criticisms. If they hadn't said a thing, FOTF's website wouldn't be getting nearly the hits.

February 02, 2010

Sorry for the longer absences here on the blog. I've been under the gun in trying to get the Sagamore leadership organization up and running (including the development of our website), and regular contributions to the blog are currently getting squeezed out. I did want to at least pass along this recent cartoon from Gary Varvel, satirizing the projected $3.8 trillion projected budget that President Obama is submitting to Congress. The deficit spending alone is enough to make us all cry, that is, if our outrage hasn't already begun to atrophy. (As they say, a trillion here, a trillion there...pretty soon we're talking about real money.)